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There are thousands of techniques and recipes available to lose and maintain weight. One must maintain a persistent approach along with being up-to-date on contemporary weight loss research.

If the goal is to lose those extra pounds, an overall routine is needed, not just a diet plan only. The proposed routine should cover the following areas:

A balanced diet

A regular workout routine

A minimized amount of stress

While many deal with stress, it is important to try to adopt as many positive routines as possible. Getting adjusted to a new routine can be difficult but the results are worth the transition. Consulting a nutritionists to create a diet plan and the right application of proposed schedule provides the knowledge necessary to succeed.

Turn the TV Off

A new study revealed that eating dinner while watching TV can add up to 40% extra calories than normal dinner, as does snacking while driving or texting. These are all distractions that can lead to mindless eating.

Step on the Scale!

In order to track progress, checking weight is important but not crucial. It will help to better manage ideal weight. It’s an indicator of how to alter diet and exercise habits.

Snack!

As nutritionists have now concluded, it is better to have healthy snacks throughout the day rather than lots of junk food later. The best choice will be filling, protein-enriched snacks such as a piece of fruit, or a medium-size bowl of cucumber and cauliflower with 1 T peanut butter.

Drink Water Before Meal

It is widely acclaimed that drinking excessive water regularly and drinking water before eating meals helps to lose weight. It augments metabolism up to 30% in one to 1.5 hours, and triggers the calorie burning process rather effectively.

A recent study revealed that drinking 500ml of water a half an hour before eating will work to eat fewer calories and likely to lose 44% more weight.

Drink Black Coffee

Excellent quality coffee is full of antioxidants, and offers many health benefits, particularly if taken black.

Research revealed that the caffeine help enhances metabolism up to 11%, and add fat flaming up to 29%.

It is widely accepted that Green Tea offers numerous health benefits including antioxidants among others.

Green tea contains small sums of caffeine, but also includes an antioxidant called Catechins, which works synergistically with the caffeine to enhance fat burning.

Cook with Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is protein-enriched and a healthy cooking oil. It is high in fats called Medium Chain Triglycerides that metabolize differently compared to other fats.

Coconut oil fat helps boost metabolism by 120 calories a day in addition to diminishing hunger.

However, it is not suggested to add coconut oil on top of what is already being consumed.

Aerobics and Other Workouts

Doing Aerobics, cycling, swimming or weightlifting workouts, is something extra to burn calories and perk up bodily and mental health.

Workouts help get rid of belly fat, along with dissolving extra fat that is likely to build up around organs and cause some health issues later on.

Sleep Better

Though 8 hours of sleep is considered ideal, if required, extended it a little bit. Studies revealed that a well-rested individual is less prone to snacking due to exhaustion or stress. However, too much rest could have the opposite effect.

Conclusion

There are many ways to bring change to physical well-being. Being educated about fitness and nutrition is the most important factor in weight loss and maintenance.

– Matt Bailey is a noted writer, content marketer and Social Strategist at FindatopDoc.com. Find a best Local Doctor by Specialty and Insurance.

Expert advice and tips from Post-Rehab Conditioning Specialist Ashley Jacob with Armonk Physical Therapy and Sports Training on getting back into the game—and avoiding re-injury.

In many cases, a sports-related injury—a twisted ankle or knee, a wrenched shoulder—means a trip to the doctor’s office (if not the ER), followed by several weeks of physical therapy. “After PT, most people figure they’re good to go—so they go,” says Ashley Jacob, a Certified Personal Trainer, Medical Exercise Specialist and Post-Rehab Conditioning Specialist at Armonk Physical Therapy and Sports Training. That typically means going right back to the pre-injury routine at the gym or the running track, with only a vague idea of how to regain lost fitness and avoid another injury in the future.

Unfortunately, this strategy might also be sending the patient right back to the doctor (and physical therapist), Jacob says, because it’s missing two critical elements: a genuine understanding of how to further repair—and avoid repeating—the injury and the physical conditioning necessary to completely heal the damage and restore function in the injured area. But working with a qualified post-rehab personal trainer means working out (and returning to pre-injury fitness levels) with the assistance and oversight of an exercise and fitness professional.

A targeted approach

For any patient, regardless of age or athletic prowess, returning from an injury is a lengthy process, Jacob says. Even the best medical treatment and PT regimen usually leaves the patient with residual functional deficits that require targeted strength and conditioning work, she explains. “Effective rehabilitation really needs a graduated exercise program that’s specifically designed to return the injured body part to its normal and healthy function,” she says. “And that’s something that needs to continue long after the doctor’s appointments and PT sessions are over.”

Effective rehabilitation needs a graduated exercise program that’s specifically designed to return the injured body part to its normal and healthy function.

A qualified personal trainer can design a post-rehab exercise program that closely follows the physician’s or physical therapist’s advice, she explains. (No matter how closely a patient listens to the doctor or therapist, a non-medical person is bound to miss or misunderstand or simply forget something, she says.) But equally important, she says, certified post-rehab specialists are also trained to apply the doctor’s (or physical therapist’s) directives to the individual client, taking into account the many variables—age, athletic conditioning, lifestyle, etc.—that make each client unique.

“Certified post-rehab specialists are specifically trained to work with clients who have injuries or other conditions that require special consideration,” she says. For example, they can help clients to “train around” an injury, by substituting activities that won’t put undue strain on damaged tissues.

* Mobility—restoring flexibility and range of motion—as well as strengthening and conditioning injured muscles, while keeping a close eye on the client’s pain levels. This address the loss of muscle mass and strength that typically accompany sports-related injuries, Jacob says.

* Alignment and form. Qualified post-rehab specialists are trained to evaluate a client’s movement patterns with an eye toward proper form and alignment.

* Muscle recruitment. Post-rehab trainers also work with re-educating muscles, which can be out of balance after an injury, thus ensuring correct muscle recruitment and preventing imbalances.

* Muscle feedback. Trainers also work on what’s known as proprioception—the messages sent to the brain from the injured tissues, which is another common post-injury problem that can lead to repeat injuries—by incorporating exercises that build stability and balance.

* Motivation. Like other personal trainers, post-rehab specialists coach clients in fitness as well as lifestyle, thus helping them maintain and improve their physical fitness as well as their mental focus.

– Ashley Jacob is a certified personal trainer with the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, a Certified Medical Exercise Specialist and Certified Post-Rehab Conditioning Specialist with the American Academy of Health, Fitness, and Rehab Professionals, and Certified to Provide Dietary Guidance for her clients with the Cooper Institute. Armonk Physical Therapy and Sports Training provides personalized, integrative, and skilled one-on-one physical therapy services. http://www.armonkptst.com

According to statistics provided by the American Diabetes Association, over 29 million Americans have diabetes. As debilitating as the disease can be, modern technology has made it easier than ever to manage diabetes while living a rather normal life.

In addition to the positive impact that modern medical technology has had on the lives of diabetics, there are some easy tips and tricks that you can follow to make your life with diabetes easier. Here is a look at what they are.

Exercise Before Injecting Insulin

One of the challenges for many individuals with diabetes is that insulin, when injected, can take quite some time to take full effect. Participating in light exercise can reduce blood glucose levels and helps your body become more sensitive to the effects caused by insulin, which results a shorter impact time.

The great thing about this hack is that you don’t have to go out and run a mile or weight lift for an hour for it to work. Even a few jumping jacks or a short walk can do the trick.

Create a System for Disposing of Syringes

As a diabetic, it doesn’t take long for you get used to having to buy and use syringes on a regular basis. But what about disposing of them? For many, creating a system for disposing syringes can be a huge time saver.

When disposing of your syringes, it is essential that you utilize a sharps container. Your local community will likely have information about steps you can take to dispose of a full sharps container.

If you’re looking for something more convenient, some private companies will allow you to schedule a pickup service or enter into a mail back program. No matter what option you decide to go with, it is imperative that the proper safety precautions are taken for disposal.

Put Supplies in a Clear Bag When Traveling

As if getting yourself through airport security wasn’t difficult enough, it can be even more of a hassle when you’re traveling with your diabetes supplies. In most cases, you can avoid excessive delays while going through checkpoints by putting all of your supplies in a clear bag.

A large Ziplock bag should do just fine here. You’ll also want to make sure you have your Medical Necessity Letter on hand. This hack also helps with organization, as you certainly don’t want to be scrambling around for your supplies when it’s needed.

Put a Key Finder On Your Glucose Monitor

For diabetics, your glucose monitor is your lifeline. When you can’t find it, the situation can cause quite a bit of panic. To help ensure that this doesn’t happen to you, use a key finder and attach it to your glucose monitor or, even better, put in your supplies bag.

There are plenty of key finders out there that even come with apps that will display exactly where your supplies are. This can be a life saver when you’re scrambling around searching for your supplies.

While managing a life with diabetes is certainly not easy, it can be much easier by utilizing the life hacks above. Give a few of them a try and experience the convenience that they can provide.

It’s probably a set of habits like washing hands, teeth brushing, and clean dressing, all aiming to maintain good health, prevent germ spreading and infecting other people. That’s right, but not entirely.

Hygiene isn’t only about personal health. It’s also about the health of the people surrounding you. That’s how great leaders build their relationships. They are very selective to whom they invite into their inner circle. They build win-win relationships, where everybody can share and learn valuable experiences.

Safety is the basis on which successful relationships are built. All candidates, without being informed, are going through an appearance-control where access is restricted to everyone with bad hygiene, because they can serve the development of diseases.

So, before trying to get someone’s attention make sure you don’t do the below mistakes.

Hand washing: let’s imagine you are at Starbucks, waiting for your ordered breakfast. Meanwhile, the waiter comes out of the toilet, wraps your order and handles it to you. Let’s assume that he didn’t wash his hands, and you know about that. Would you still eat that? You’ll feel somewhat uncomfortable about it. Right?

It’s a well-known fact, that not washing your hands after using the toilet, taking the bin out or sneezing may spread germs and infect the people through hand shaking, or handing them food, money or any other object.

When someone notices that you’re not used to wash your hands properly, it raises the red flags for them.

Teeth brushing: your smile represents you. An attractive smile may predispose, while an unattractive smile may turn you off.

If you don’t brush your teeth, they are likely to become discolored, get cavities and possibly fall out. A smile like this isn’t going to benefit you when you’ll want to impress someone. Not to mention the situation when you speak out and the person smells your bad breath. This is an epic fail.

Bath regularly: bathing keeps your body clean, fresh and odor free. Ignoring showering with shampoo and soap causes bacteria expansion on your body. It settles in the moisturized and hairy parts of the body, which are perfect environments for its development. When it gets in contact with sweat your body eliminates an unpleasant body odor.

Bad body odor isn’t helping you at building relationships. To prevent disturbing people make sure your body is clean and fresh. For improved confidence use a deodorant.

Wear clean clothes: Don’t wear the same clothes for too long. Clothes worn the second day are dirtier than yesterday. They soak the moisture of your body and smell bad, and also get stained, dirty and look bad.

It’s a complete fail showing up in public wearing dirty clothes. This shows your disrespect towards their community. Secondly, it leaves the impression of a careless man about you. And these two circumstances aren’t doing you any favor in building relationships.

Personal grooming: aim to present yourself in the best possible way. The way you look, dress and feel speaks volumes about your character, and how people perceive you.

For most people, dealing with a large amount of stress on their job or at home is a normal occurrence. There are a number of issues in a person’s life that can cause a great deal of stress, which means they will need to find a way to reduce it. Without the reduction of stress in one’s life, they will be susceptible to a wide variety of different ailments and diseases. There are a number of ways to reduce stress out there and finding the right one will take some time and research on your part. The following are a few of the ways you can alleviate stress in your life.

Getting a Hobby

One of the best ways to relieve some of the stress you have in your life is by finding a hobby. By finding something you can lose yourself in, you will be able to remove some of the stress in your life. Make sure you give some thought to the type of hobby you will best enjoy. The more you are able to find out about the hobbies out there, the easier you will find it to get the right one chosen.

Take Advantage of Massages

Another great way to reduce the amount of stress you have in your life is by visiting a massage therapist in Burlington. There are a number of studies that show regular massages will help to alleviate some of the stress in a person’s life. In order to get the right massage, you will have to first find the right establishment to go to. Ideally, you want to find a massage parlor with a good bit of experience and knowledge in the field. Usually, you will be able to find out everything you want to from going online and doing some research.

Getting More Exercise

The next thing you need to do when trying to reduce some of the stress in your life is to participate in regular exercise. The more you area able to exert yourself physically, the easier you will find it to get the right results. Make sure you speak with a health professional to get some idea on what you need to be doing in order to get the most out of your routines. The more you are able to find out about what you need to be doing in regards to exercising, the easier you will find it to get the right results.

At Appleby Total Health, you will be able to get the massage treatments you are looking for. Be sure to call them or visit their website in order to get more information on what they can provide for you.

Far from it. There is a definite secret to making changes stick. You can make all the resolutions you want but until you change your beliefs, you will not succeed. The way to change your reality is to change what you believe.

• Your beliefs are your motivating drivers. They are the convictions, opinions and views that you have accumulated and that represent you.

• Your beliefs are positions and philosophies that you endorse.

• Your beliefs express your attitudes and your way of thinking and looking at things.

• Your beliefs dictate your approach and outlook to life.

• Your beliefs are the core of your truth.

• What you believe is what you stand for.

If you are not getting the results you want in your life, (money, love, health, fame, weight, job, friends, etc.) then you need to change what you believe about yourself before you will create the change you want to see.

Step One: Carve out some quiet time for yourself, get out a piece of paper and a pen (note: hand write this step because it will mean more if you do).

Take about ten deep breaths so your body relaxes and lets go of the day’s stress. As you relax, allow your mind to consider any resolutions you have made.

When you have them in your mind, write them down. One at a time, consider the resolution and what you believe about it. Ask yourself:

• Do I believe I can accomplish this change?

• Do I believe that I am not worthy of this change?

• Do I believe there are too many obstacles to change?

• Do I believe my thinking blocks my change?

• Do I believe I have the courage to change?

• Do I believe others will have negative opinion about my change?

Step Two: Once you have written the answers down, repeat the process for each thing or condition you want to change. When you have completed all the answers to all of your resolutions, ask the following of yourself:

• How do these beliefs affect my life?

• Are these beliefs actually true?

• Do these beliefs benefit my life?

• Do these beliefs support the life I want to live?

• Are these beliefs someone else’s voice?

Step Three: Take the next few moments to create new beliefs about yourself and about the change(s) you want to make.

Form the new beliefs in your mind like this:

• I now choose to believe I have the power, tenacity, and courage to ___________.

• I believe I have the knowledge and the intelligence to ______________.

• I honor and trust my mind, body and soul to make this change in a whole and balanced manner.

• I feel safe and supported in my desire and intention to _________________.

Step Four: Take the time to write your positive statements and convictions down. You want to be able to repeat these affirmative statements to your mirror every morning. Sheer repetition will turn your new beliefs into your new reality.

You now possess the secret to changing your life through changing your beliefs. Use this formula for everything you want to make better in your life. And be sure to pass it on. Everyone should be able to share the secret for success.

– Kac Young has a PhD in Natural Health, a Doctorate in Naturopathy and a Doctorate in Clinical Hypnotherapy. She is a former television producer/director, a licensed Religious Science Minister, a spiritual counselor and the author of 11 books. Please visit www.kacyoung.com.

An interesting article supplied by PRWeb written by Dr. Sanjay Jain with tips on leading a healthier life. What are your thoughts on this article, please share in the comments section below…..

Many people dwell on the negative aspects of life, but that isn’t beneficial. New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author, Sanjay Jain, M.D. MBA provides some tips from his new book on five simple ways to increase happiness today.

Forbes recently reported that as many as 52 percent of Americans are unhappy with their jobs and as a result, their relationships, health and finances suffer. While it may take a change of jobs to be happy in the workplace, there are many things that anyone can do to make their life happier. New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author, Sanjay Jain, M.D. MBA provides tips from his new book on five simple ways to increase happiness today.

1. Soak in some sun. A daily dose of sunshine, about 15 minutes around midday significantly boosts vitamin D levels which in turn increase serotonin production. Mood neurotransmitter not only helps helps you feel better, it boosts immunity and protects against some forms of cancer.

2. Stay home more. For people with families or a partner, staying home more and investing in relationships with loved ones is a surefire way to feel happier. Spend evenings and weekends reading books out loud, flipping through old photo albums, making a fancy dinner or gardening. These activities stimulate conversation and bring everyone together, something that is lacking in many relationships now that most people have a mobile device which rarely leaves their side. When choosing to spend time with friends, spend more time with the optimistic, positive, glass-is-half-full ones than the woe-is-me pessimistic types who infuse every conversation with mood-bashing negativity.

3. Keep a gratitude journal. This may seem like a fad since many people these days are trying to be more mindful and practice gratitude, but there’s really something to it according to researchers at Mayo Clinic. Write down one good thing every day and read through past entries right before bedtime. Develop the habit of looking for good in every situation: the line at the coffee shop might lead to some new professional connections, and having to make four dozen cookies for the school bake sale allows time to make memories with the kids.

4. Lend a helping hand. Schools teach kids to practice random acts of kindness, so why shouldn’t adults. Adults should try doing an act of kindness every day for a month in order to increase happiness. Participants in a study at the University of Illinois noticed that they had an increased level of happiness by day 10. Try tipping double the going rate; taking coffee to a friend; giving construction workers ice-cold bottles of water; raking leaves for the neighbor; sending a card and encouraging note to a new mom.

5. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Most people’s diets could stand at least a minor overhaul to boost health and healing. Eat your way to happiness by following an anti-inflammatory diet that’s rich in vegetables, fruits, cold-water fish, olive oil and healthy whole grains. Most foods that are whole and unprocessed, meaning they’re the closest to their most natural form as possible, are excellent at reducing and controlling inflammation, which is responsible for so many of the illnesses and diseases that people suffer from the standard American diet. By attaining better health, people are much more energetic and happier.

On their own, each of these tips can make a powerful impact on one’s levels of happiness. Start off by implementing one tip this week, and another each week thereafter to experience more happiness.

For more information on living a happier life please visit Dr. Sanjay Jain’s website at http://www.sanjayjainmd.com/.

About Dr. Sanjay Jain:

Sanjay Jain, M.D. MBA is a New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author, accomplished medical doctor, health expert, life coach and inspirational keynote speaker who has dedicated his life to helping people find their purpose by achieving a meaningful life that they deeply cherish. Sanjay Jain is U.S. trained and a board certified physician with over 15 years of clinical experience. He holds certifications in Diagnostic Radiology, Integrative Medicine, and Healthcare Quality and Management. He is a graduate from the accelerated BS/MD program at The Northeast Ohio Medical University. He has diversified experience in the private practice, academic, and integrated multispecialty settings.

Color is a key component of healthy living. There is little as uplifting to the human spirit as a rainbow. Color has been studied for its therapeutic applications for many decades. There is a reason people in tropical environments tend to be happier, and people who spend all their time in grey institutions are more prone to illness. Just as eating a variety of foods helps us get all the full range nutrients necessary to thrive, seeing a variety of colors helps keep our minds and spirits healthy.

Color and Our Brains

Color is an expression of frequency and vibration. It is also a creation of our brains. We do not actually “see color,” rather the way light waves bounce off our eyes triggers our brains to make certain connections – color is merely a perception. This is partly why color affects us so deeply, because we are actually making it up in our minds.

Color stimulates the hypothalamus and pineal gland, affecting appetite, mood, emotions, temperature, creativity, energy levels, sex drive, sleep cycles, and hormonal balance. A study of color therapy showed that each color affects and supports a different area of the body, in ways that closely resemble the chakra system of yoga.

In Living Color

Several studies of office workers found that people who work in drab, dull environments are more likely to experience chronic stress and associated illnesses.

Patients in hospitals and treatment centers were more able to relax, and respond ed more favorably to treatment when they were in rooms with soothing colors like pink and pale blue.

There is a reason that prisoners are put in drab, dark environments, though some prisons are starting to add more color to help the inmates actually rehabilitate. In one study done on people in monotone environments and colorful environments, the people in the dull spaces for long periods of time tended to become anxious, fearful, and distressed. Paradoxically, they would also become more restless and emotionally reactive, and had more difficulty concentrating.

Color and Children

Students and teachers are more able to focus on tasks and remain productive for longer periods of time in classrooms that have supportive color schemes and appropriate lighting. Students in schools with brighter lighting and inspiring color treatments showed a significant increase in IQ and academic performance scores in a 1983 study.

It has been discovered that children in school are more likely to be irritable, aggressive, and introverted in colorless or monochrome classrooms through multiple studies. In colorful classrooms, children are cheerier, more cooperative, and they retain information better.

Choosing the Best Colors for You

Luckily, color is still all around us. Each color affects us in a different way because of its unique frequency and vibration. You can affect your mood and overall health by wearing clothes of a particular color, painting or decorating your home in a color scheme, or adding pieces of art or fabric to your work environment. Colored light bulbs, or gels and screens over existing lighting are easy and affordable ways to add a color to a room.

Red tends to be best for taking action, being physical, and getting things done. If you want to feel energized and be more productive, wear red or have red touches in your office. Red is not conducive to a bedroom or other place you want to be able to relax. It may be too stimulating for teenagers, who fare better with soothing colors like green and blue.

Orange inspires creativity, motion, emotional expression, and connection. In the appropriate shade, it could be a great color for an art studio, meeting room or dining room.

Yellow is mentally stimulating, energizing, and confidence boosting. It makes a great touch in the office if you tend to feel sluggish, or wear it when you want to inspire clear thinking. Avoid yellow in areas that might be stressful, and keep it out of the bedroom.

Green is great almost anywhere to encourage balance, harmony, and tolerance. It is also a good color to wear if you want people to feel welcomed and comfortable around you.

Blue is a soothing, healing color that is great for bedrooms and bathrooms, or to wear when you want to reduce stress and put others at ease. It is not the best for spaces or days that require lots of motion and productivity.

Violet is also a soothing color that inspires serenity and understanding, in pale shades it is great for meditation spaces, healing centers, and bedrooms.

Incorporating more color into our lives can boost our productivity and creativity, and help us stay balanced and healthy.

– This post is contributed by Ron McDiarmid, who is the founder of My Healthy Living Coach. Having had health challenges along the way Ron was keen to share the research and learning he gathered. Through MHLC this continued into a current presentation of healthy lifestyle choices and how to implement them. Check out his website at myhealthylivingcoach.com.

Dr. Arash Bereliani, the board-certified physician and founder of the IV Therapy Center of Beverly Hills, explains a recent study showing the importance of vitamin D for people over 50.

A recent study published in the journal Quality of Life Research suggests that older patients with higher levels of vitamin D will experience a better quality of life. This quality of life includes more mobility, better ability to perform daily tasks, and less anxiety and depression. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health.

“We’ve known for a long time that vitamin D is vitally important to our bodies,” said Dr. Arash Bereliani, founder of the IV Therapy Center of Beverly Hills. “This study confirms that and goes on to show how important vitamin D is for overall health and happiness, especially in middle-age adults.”

Where Does Vitamin D Come From?

“The majority of our vitamin D intake comes from the sun,” explained Dr. Bereliani. “While it appears naturally in some foods, this typically accounts for a small amount of what we need.”

When the body doesn’t get enough vitamin D a number of subtle but harmful symptoms can result, including cognitive impairment and an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Because of this, it is important that patients are aware of the potential for vitamin D deficiency. Common causes of low levels of vitamin D include:

* Not getting enough sunlight, which is especially common in office workers

* Not eating enough foods with vitamin D, such as eggs, fish, and cheese

* Having kidney problems that prevent the body from converting vitamin D

* Obesity

Vitamin D Injections

If you do suffer from a deficiency of vitamin D, the solution might require more than just a day in the sun or changes to your diet.

“Vitamin D injections offer a high-dose, targeted amount of vitamin D that is specially designed to help those who are lacking,” said Dr. Bereliani. “These injections are highly effective for people of all ages, but as you can see from this study, adults over 50 can really benefit.”

In addition to offering vitamin D injections, the IV Therapy Center of Beverly Hills offers a wide range of intravenous vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, MSM, and glutathione. IV therapy and injections can be used to treat a broad variety of conditions. Some of the most common are fatigue, malabsorption, cold, flu, and certain neurological conditions.

About The IV Therapy Center

The IV Therapy Center is a leading provider of IV vitamin therapy for the prevention and treatment of a broad variety of diseases and conditions. The IV Therapy Center also offers IV treatment designed to improve overall health and well-being. We specialize in administering high-dose Vitamin C, IV glutathione, IV MSM, Myers’ cocktail, IV magnesium therapy, and a number of other injectable therapies in a relaxing, spa-like atmosphere.

To learn more about the IV Therapy Center visit us on the web at http://www.ivtherapycenter.com.

As the summer approaches, it’s easy for busy moms to place their health needs second to work commitments and family activities. I recently learned that the average mom only gets 5.5 hours of free time each week – that’s equivalent to only 47 minutes per day! If you are like me, living with a chronic illness, or if you have any other health issue, it might be harder to “do it all.” It’s especially important for all women to take time for themselves and pay careful attention to their own health needs.

I’m a mom, a wife and a full-time school psychologist, but I also live with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that damages or destroys the protective covering (known as myelin) surrounding the nerves, causing reduced communication between the brain and nerve pathways. Common symptoms include visual problems, overwhelming fatigue, difficulty with balance and coordination, and various levels of impaired mobility. Not every person living with MS feels the same symptoms or has the same experiences – the disease is unique to each individual.

Since being diagnosed with MS in 1999, I’ve learned when to ask for help while balancing work, family and MS symptoms. Down time is important for everyone, especially when you’re a busy mom living with an unpredictable disease like MS. I have learned to set goals for myself to keep on track. Right now my goal is to keep up with my growing son and make sure I’m there to tuck him in at night. When living with a chronic disease, finding the right treatment plan is an important step toward living your best life – and that plan is different for everyone. For a long time after my diagnosis, I was only on one treatment to help manage my MS, and it didn’t end up working for me. I worked closely with my doctor to determine the best treatment plan and I am now on once-daily oral AUBAGIO. Taking that proactive step for myself has helped me manage my MS and balance the other aspects of my busy life with more confidence!

Here are a few quick tips to balance a busy life with a chronic disease…

1. It’s OK to say “no” to certain things, in order to say “yes” to things that matter, like spending time with family

2. Your house doesn’t have to be perfect – it’s ok to ask for help when you need it

3. Make time for yourself – a short walk in the neighborhood or a cup of tea is all it takes to recharge

4. Trust in yourself and what your body is telling you – take it slow if you need to, but realize that you are stronger than you may think

5. Prioritize the things in your life that are important to you

6. Maintain open communication with loved ones, including children, about how you are feeling

7. Don’t be shy to share responsibilities and call on others for help – your family, friends and healthcare providers are there for support